


Magical Intervention

by Alys_Gay_Parade



Category: Gravity Falls
Genre: Also extended pines family headcanons, CANON DIVERGENCE AND BLATANT INACCURACIES ARE NOT THE SAME FUCKING THING, EDIT: A+ ALY YOU PLAYED YOURSELF, Gen, Good Dad Filbrick, He's an actual fucking madman, Honestly the lore I'm creating could be canon, I mean this man played the Stan Twins dating sim on a charity livestream, I need more Filbrick being a human being with struggles and emotions, I wouldn't put it past Alex Hirsch to write a conveluted magical bloodline destiny for the pines, IDC IF IT'S AN AU, Ma is a magic user, Ma mage, Other, The graphic novel came out, and I was browsing the wiki, and so ofc I found inaccuracies, they have been remedied bc I NEED MY FICS ACCURATE
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-06-25
Updated: 2019-05-08
Packaged: 2019-05-28 11:20:05
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 9
Words: 16,739
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15047732
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Alys_Gay_Parade/pseuds/Alys_Gay_Parade
Summary: Caryn Romanoff is a paranormal enthusiast that comes from a long line of mages. When on a study outing to deal with Bill Cipher's resurgence, she's distracted by a dying Filbrick Pines and her whole world is turned on its head.





	1. Spellbound

**Author's Note:**

> I love this idea, and in all honesty, it makes sense.

Caryn skipped along the city streets of Glass Shard Beach, her most recent spell journal tucked tightly against her chest. Spellcasting was what she was best at. After all, magical inclination had been in her family for generations. Her mother and father were both from ancient lines of mages. Her father had long since mastered telepathy and her mother had full control of elemental magic. Caryn's personal innate talent was psychic abilities. However, she did love all things supernatural. 

Aside from her spell writing, she loved conversing with spirits and taming cryptids. It filled her with glee, despite her family's distaste. Her tight knit group of mage friends and family had agreed eons ago to not breed with “common folk”. But that would soon turn on its head. 

Caryn had been doing research into the resurgence of an entity called Bill Cipher before heading home for the day. Her family has always been here to protect humanity from his influence. However, answers about his return evaded her. The eighteen year old stopped her skipping to think. She stood on the roadside as she noticed the darkening sky. With one look to the appearing stars, she opens her tome and reads out a phrase in Latin before jumping up to a rooftop, seemingly floating. As she glides from roof to roof, her eye is caught by a figure slumped against a wall in an alleyway. Normally, she would brush it aside. But something about this man spoke to her. Her stomach tied itself in knots as her psychic mind realized his future. She hopped into the alley, gently touching her bare feet down to the brick paving. 

He looked almost dead. Gaunt and frail. Part of Caryn screams that she should go. She can tell a few things from his aura. He's sad. Alone. Emotionally abandoned by his family. And full of guilt. Caryn opens her spell book, using a simple strength charm to wake him from his deadly slumber. 

Filbrick opened his eyes to see a young woman, barefoot, in a simple red dress. She clutched a book to her chest and simply knelt to his sitting form. “Are you okay?” Her voice was gentle and smooth despite the native Jersey accent that left her lips. “Do you need help?” 

“Are you an angel?” Filbrick reached out as Caryn stepped back. 

“You could say that, I guess.” She helped him stand. “Though, mage or witch would be more appropriate. I'm Caryn. Caryn Romanoff.” 

Filbrick could feel the magical aura wafting off of her in waves, and found himself captivated by her beauty. “Filbrick,” he choked past the frog in his throat. “Filbrick Pines.” He found himself unable to speak in Caryn's presence. She giggles at his shock. 

“Filbrick, you're special. I can tell.” She reaches out to him, grabbing the sleeve of his coat. “You have a divine touch.” She opens her spell book with one hand and recites a flight spell. “Let me show you mine.” 

Without warning, she jumps, effortlessly dragging Filbrick behind her. She runs along the air with a hearty laugh. Filbrick yelps a bit, but soon follows her lead. He intertwines his fingers with hers for a better sense of security. A fall from this height would kill. Seeing the smile on her face as she went from running to gliding, spinning him through the air. Tears brim behind his sunglasses, and he holds her hands, marveling at their softness. 

She was a witch. But also his guardian angel. 

As they again touch down in front of an old house on the beach, they are greeted by a stoic bearded man slamming open the door. “Caryn.” 

“Papa…” She hides her spell book behind her, looking to the ground. Her father's gaze falls on Filbrick. He finds himself trembling as his deepest secrets are probed. He shudders as her father’s gaze goes from judgmental to panicked to brimmed with worry. 

“I'm sure you saw what I just did, Caryn.” 

“My telepathy isn't that great yet, Papa. I can only read auras, not minds.” She looks to his softened smile. 

“Keep practicing, love. You'll get it eventually.” The man looked long and hard at Filbrick. “Caryn, bring him inside. I must study him immediately. I must be sure.” 

Filbrick follows Caryn and her father inside to see a cozy abode. Handwritten books and scrolls cover the walls, an old woman is sitting by a cauldron brewing potions. A middle aged woman throws a fireball from where she sits, studying, to light the fireplace. 

“Shura, hun, your mother and I have been talking about the Cipher situation. We may need to take a trip to Oreg- oh, Caryn, who is this…?” The blush that appears on her daughter's face causes the whole family to look at her in shock. 

“My gods…” the elderly lady stops her stirring to look her granddaughter over. She pulls a bottle from the rack nearby and splashes Caryn and Filbrick with some of the contents. A silhouette of color glows around each of them, perfectly matching in hue. “Shura, Persephone… they're soulmates.” 

Filbrick looks terrified at the glares he receives. Sweat runs down the side of his face. Caryn, sensing his terror, steps in front of him with a determined expression. “And? He needed help. I would have brought him in even if he wasn't my soul mate.” 

“Caryn… you know our policy on common folk.” Her father held a soft tone, but Caryn spun on her heel and faced him with anger. 

“We'd be dead without common folk, if you have so forgotten!" 

Shura steps back at his daughter’s outburst. “Caryn, I looked into his mind… he's-" He stops. Their auras still glow, and Filbrick’s expression is filled with fear and regret. He did not need to pry into the Pines boy's head to know his affiliation with Cipher was out of desperation. “He… can stay.” 

“Wait, what?!” Persephone stands, slamming her book shut as she storms over, lightning crackling off her form. 

“Persephone, sweetheart… family is important, and the boy has none. Caryn is a smart girl. We should support her decisions.” It was a subtle way of saying he didn't want to push his daughter away. Filbrick smiled at the man who walked over to him. 

“Thank you, sir…” 

 _“Bill better not hurt my sweet C_ _aryn_ _.”_  Filbrick nods at Shura's voice within his mind, swallowing the lump in his throat.  _“Don't let his influence change you, boy. Stay strong.”_  


	2. Miracles

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Filbrick being a young realist dealing with an even younger and naive mage is my aesthetic.

_Young t_ _w_ _in_ _boys, laughing and yelling in German,_ _run in circles on the deck of a ship; their salvation. Their mother, tired and heartbroken,_ _watches half heartedly from a few feet away. She_ _carefully opens a locket and peers down, tears beginning to well in her eyes._ _One boy stops, prompting his younger twin to do the same._

_“_ _Filbrick_ _… look at_ _Mutter._ _”_

_Filbrick_ _looks to her,_ _noticing her silent sobs_ _that shook her form_ _._ _“I think she's sad because_ _Vati_ _and_ _Tante_ _are still in the camp…”_

_The boys go to their mother, and her sobs become vocal as she pulls them in close. “Frederick…_ _Filbrick_ _… I love you two so much.” The two hug her tightly_ _, and_ _Filbrick_ _begins crying with his mother. Frederick, upon seeing his twin and parent so distressed, tries to diffuse the situation._

_“Mutter…_ _Vati_ _told me to tell you something.”_

_“What is it, love…?”_

_“That he and_ _Tante_ _will always be with us. He said you shouldn't cry.” She looks the boy over with tears streaming down her face. “And if you do… I'm supposed to make you laugh!” Frederick attacks her side with tiny fingers, and_ _Filbrick_ _joins the assault on her other side. She snorts out and lets out tearful laughter, getting the attention of other refugees nearby._

_“Oh, Frederick… my little angel. Just like your birthmark_ _.”_

_“It's the constellation of Virgo, right?” Frederick sat on the other side of their mother as she nodded a_ _n_ _d began recounting the Greek myth of Dike…_

“So, what's your family's problem with me, exactly?” Filbrick's question stopped Caryn’s stroll along the beach. She turned to him with a sigh.

“They're just upset that my soulmate is of common folk.” She sits herself against a rock with a smile. “I'm honestly surprised Mom let Papa live after he let you stay with us. She's a feisty one.”

Filbrick joined Caryn, watching her bury her feet in the sand. He unpacked the lunch that her grandmother had packed them with a smile. “And granny?”

Caryn could only let out a snort. “Granny Yuliya is Papa's mom. She's best with potions, but taught Papa all that he knows about telepathy and aura reading.” Filbrick smiles at Caryn's carefree nature and takes a bite of the sandwich packed for him. When he looks back to her, he notices the slight frown that was suddenly on her face. “I'm prone to prophetic dreams… and last night I had a concerning one.”

“Wanna tell me about it?” He watches as she buries her feet further, worry clouding her eyes.

“The night I found you,  I was doing research into a powerful entity. One my lineage has long protected this world against.” Caryn takes out a notebook, packed to the brim with articles and depictions of a face Filbrick knew well. “He's active again. We aren't sure why, but I can assure it isn't a good sign.”

“I recognize him.” Filbrick swallowed, knowing that telling her of his affiliation with the beast would lead to something catastrophic.

“Were you the one…? Who he approached?” Filbrick kept his anxiety about the situation undetectable.

“No.” Relief flooded Caryn's face. “My idiot twin was.” She held his hand gently, causing him too blush.

“What happened to put you in that position, if you don't mind me asking…?”

“I…” Filbrick looked to Caryn's bright green eyes, his own blue ones hidden behind shaded lenses. “It was actually me getting into a fight with my brother about the whole ordeal.” He hugged his knees close, feeling more vulnerable at 20 than he did his whole childhood. “Frederick was a jokester. Kind, empathetic… the life of the party. He never had a plan and kept his childish heart on his sleeve. All he ever wanted was to make people smile.”

Caryn watched Filbrick's face fill with pain and leaned against him. The contact startled him slightly, and he looked down at her. “I'm sorry your family was targeted. Frederick sounds like a nice person.”

“He is… the sweetest. That's why he's the family favorite and I'm the screw up.”

_“_ _Filbrick_ _! I've come up with the name for my theme park!”_ _Filbrick_ _groans at his brother's voice. Not this shit again. “I'll call it ‘Wet_ _Boi_ _and Fun Times’!”_

_“Frederick… that is singlehandedly the dumbest thing I've ever heard in my life.” He sets down his book, standing from the couch. “You're just begging to fail with a name like that. The whole thing will fail. You don't know how to run a business. You have no plan. You just want to act like a kid with zero responsibility.”_

_“It won't fail… I have a little help.”_ _Filbrick_ _shoots him an inquisitive cock of a brow, begging for an explanation. “I had a fateful encounter with a powerful entity yesterday. He calls himself Bill Cipher, and he said that he'd get my idea off the ground. I just had to give him full use of my engineers.”_

_“You… are trusting some random entity… with your future.”_ _Filbrick_ _put his head in his hands, a migraine forming quickly. “Frederick… are you a fuckin' idiot?”_

_“Why are you always like this? I just want to create a place that makes people smile. Is that so bad?!”_

_“What's bad is your complete disregard for logic and safety!” The two begin a screaming match that attracts the attention of their mother, step father, and little sisters. The family comes in too witness_ _Filbrick_ _shoving Frederick into the bookshelf, causing it to almost topple and several books to fall onto the older twin's head._

_“_ _Filbrick_ _!”_

_"Mutter….”_ _Filbrick_ _backs away, assaulted by an onslaught of angry German. He looked to his stepfather, who's surname they'd all taken. To his little sisters, who stared him down in fear. And back at his mother, who's eyes were filled with heartbreak._ _Filbrick_ _looked to the ground and slowly walked out of the house, hiding his tears._

“I never went home after that. Didn't think I was wanted. I didn't want to explain the situation and throw Frederick under the bus.” Caryn hugs Filbrick tightly, eliciting tears from the man. “A week after I left, I was mugged for everything I had. All the plans I had were ruined. I was going to go to college. Get a business degree. Open my own shop. But now… none of that's possible.”

“Well… you never know. You could always run into the funds to start over.” Caryn took a quiet bite of her food, looking out at the New Jersey ocean.

“Don't count on miracles, Caryn. There's no way that two of them can happen in two days.” Filbrick quietly dug at the sand with a nearby stick, stopping once he hit something with a dull, wooden “thud”. Perplexed, he began to dig with his hands. Shoveling the sand away, he saw the corner of a wooden chest. Caryn noticed, and began helping him. After a few minutes, Filbrick was sitting in front of an old treasure chest filled with gold coins and expensive jewelry. “You have  _got_  to be fucking kidding me.”

“Filbrick! Oh my goodness!” Caryn jumped to her feet, yanking him to his and spinning him around. Filbrick's normally stoic and sullen face is brightened with a large grin as Caryn jumps and wraps her arms over his shoulders, hanging off him with her feet in the air, laughing.

He wraps his arms around her and spins, letting out his own bout of laughter. He plants a kiss to her lips in excitement, sitting there for a moment before pulling away in embarrassment. “S-Sorry.” He looks to her face, just as pink as his is, and they sit in silence for a while before he breaks it with a question. “It's fine, right? To already feel so strongly toward you?”

Caryn looks to him, lacing their fingers together. “Of course. I mean, it's only natural, given the fact that we're soulmates.”

“You and your family keep saying that word, but… what does it mean in a…. Magical sense?” Caryn sits back on the sand with him, lost in thought.

“Only two people on earth at any given time have auras that match perfectly in hue. When that happens, they're considered soulmates. Soulmates aren't inherently a romantic thing, but usually are.” She stares out at the waves in contemplation, a deep wisdom in her eyes that wasn't there before. “In my family, it's usually a sibling bond. Or a parental bond. So it was a bit shocking that not only was my soulmate unrelated, but also a common folk.”

“And what's the deal with not liking non-magical people in your family?”

Caryn let out a hard sigh. “It's really dumb. My lineage has sworn to protect humanity from supernatural threats, so we can't have our magical genetics ‘bogged down' by normal human bloodlines.” She kicks up the sand slightly before laying on her back. “I just wish I could distance myself from my magical destiny. But I can't.”

Filbrick looked from her to the treasure with a contemplative gaze. “I… could take you away from it all… at least for a bit.”

Caryn sits up, blinking inquisitively. “How so?”

“Let's go on vacation. We could go and do whatever you'd like. Detox from your family and whatnot.” He watched her shocked expression turn to one of pure bliss, and she jumped to her feet.

“I haven't travelled since my coming of age ceremony when I was twelve! Let's do it. Just the two of us.”

A few weeks of preparing went by, and Filbrick finally had it all ready. He had a new car, the food, a good chunk of money, and the rest of what he got from the treasure chest squirreled away to start his business when he gets back. “Why some tiny town in Oregon of all places?” He closes the trunk after placing Caryn's suitcase inside.

“I went to Gravity Falls for my coming of age ceremony. It's so full of magical energy that it strengthens a mage's powers just by being there.” She hops into the passenger sheet with a bright humming. “Not only that, but it's home to cryptids that need to be tamed and spirits that need to be soothed! I love conversing with lives long since passed and befriending dangerous supernatural beings.”

“I love your enthusiasm.” Filbrick gets behind the wheel and pulls away from the beach house.

“I also promised my mother that I'd look into the Cipher situation.”

He turns at Caryn's solemn tone. “Caryn, this is supposed to be a vacation. Relax, okay? Don't worry about it until we get there.”

“It's about the journey, not the destination.”

“Right.” He reached over and held her hand firmly. “We'll have fun… okay?” She nods at him with a smile, lacing their fingers together as they pass a sign: Now Leaving Glass Shard Beach.


	3. White Lies

_“We'll be brothers forever, right Fil?”_

_“Of course, Fred!”_

_“Even if I'm kind of stupid sometimes?”_

_“Listen, there is literally nothing you could do to make me hate you.”_

Filbrick awoke with a start in a cold sweat. He could've sworn he saw the looming face of Bill behind the silhouettes of he and his twin. A shake of his head cleared the panic away, and he noticed Caryn wasn't in the car. They'd stopped at a rest stop about halfway across New Jersey to rest, and he must have fallen asleep. It was well into the night now. He heard gentle singing from outside and looked to see Caryn sitting barefoot in the grass, a circle of magic gently glowing around her.

He gets out and stretches before going over. Caryn holds out a hand to stop him from coming closer. She eventually stops singing, the glowing subsides, and she stands. The breeze gently tugs at her dress, her hair, and the grass around her.

“There's powerful magic nearby. Dark magic.” She jumps, almost weightless. Filbrick watches in wonder as she lands atop a nearby tree and looks out down the highway. When she floats back down, she greets him with a sigh. “I can't place it.” She grips her hair in frustration. “Ugh, of all the times for my powers to not work with me, why now?”

“Hey, it's okay…” he reaches out to comfort her, but backs off at her offended expression.

“Okay? No it's not! I should be good at sensing and detecting magic sources! But I just can't. I can never do it…” She slumps back to the ground with a huff. “My mom and dad say it's no big deal… but it is. I can feel their disappointment from here.”

“Caryn…” Filbrick sits beside her and puts his arm around her shoulders. “I don't know much about the world you live in. But I'm sure that some people just don't have the same level of innate talent for some things.”

“Detecting magic is something that all mages should be able to do. And I can't. It might be on account of my coming of age ceremony getting cut short. Which is another reason I wanted to go to Gravity Falls.”

“What exactly happens at those, anyway?”

“It's easier to show you. I called up some friends, since you need at least three other mages for the ceremony to work. They'll meet us there.” Caryn leans into Filbrick with a slump, and he just holds her saddened form.

“Hey, I remember seeing a sign for a theme park a few miles back… why don't we go in the morning?” He runs his hand through her hair, relieved at her giving him a gentle smile. “Come on. Let's go get some rest.”

“No… fucking way.” As Filbrick drove up, he could see his brother's infamous vision looming over them. “Frederick, you lunatic. Caryn, stay here. I gotta go find him.” He jumps out of the car, not giving her time to respond.

Filbrick walked up to the gates, fully knowing that the place wouldn't be open for another hour. He hops the fence with ease and begins wandering the park. It's not long until he finds his brother, working on the gears atop a roller coaster. “Frederick!”

“Filly! Come up here!” Filbrick walks up to where his twin stands with an innocent smile. “I'm surprised you're here.”

“My girl and I are on a road trip and I saw this eyesore. So you actually went through with trusting a supernatural entity to help with this?”

Frederick's smile falters. “Still a jerk, as per usual.”

“I'm just looking out for you, Freddy.” Filbrick sits on the railing, looking his brother down. “Listen, I'll be very frank. Bill is dangerous. My girlfriend's been looking into it, and he's capable of hurting so many people.”

“Oh, hush. You don't know him like I do...” Frederick continues to work on the coaster, and Filbrick just looks at him. “I can feel you staring holes in my back.”

“Don't you have engineers for this?”

“They're on a special project.”

Filbrick sighed and looked to the sky. “What are they up to?”

“I'd appreciate if you didn't ask so many questions.” Filbrick looked to see his brother facing him. Bit those eyes. “You're a nosey little shit, aren't you? And after all I've done for you, too.” Bill moves his twin's body forward, getting dangerously close. “It would be a shame if you fell to your death right now.”

Filbrick was frozen in fear, sweat running down the side of his face.  _My brother wouldn’t let this happen to me…_  He grips the rail with white knuckles, keeping himself as stoic as possible. “Get out of my brother's body, you triangular fuck…” His voice was but a whisper, causing Bill to smirk.

“I don't really  _need_  you… your first born is just insurance. In case this takes longer than expected. But you could still be useful. So I won't kill you... just injure you.” Bill lightly shoved Filbrick back, causing the Pines to realize too late that his grip, while tight, wasn't right.

Filbrick falls a few feet before grabbing the supports of the coaster. He clung for dear life, still slightly weak from his near death in the alleyway. “Frederick!” Behind his shout, he chokes back a sob. He looks up to see Frederick… glaring at him. “Fred, please… help me.”

“Bill said you were going to push me off. How can I trust you?” Filbrick looked to his brother with tears forming behind his shades. Anger floods his expression. Gritting his teeth, furrowing his brows, wrenching his eyes shut.

“You really are an idiot…” Filbrick loses his grip and falls.

He awakes to a tear falling on his cheek. He opens his eyes to see Caryn behind the wheel, his head in her lap. “Caryn…”

“Don't speak. Save your energy. You just almost died, and I need to get you to a natural spring to heal you…” Her worried expression hits him like a stack of bricks.

“What happened…?”

“Frederick carried you out and basically threw you at me. Told me to get you the hell away from him.” Filbrick blinked hard, remembering what went down atop the coaster. “Is he still in affiliation with Bill?”

He was silent, lost in thought. Frederick was scared. Being manipulated. Filbrick couldn't bring himself to risk his twin's livelihood. Besides… if he can… “No. He called everything off.”

“Bill's probably tormenting him, the poor thing…” Filbrick shifted in her lap, immediately realizing his mistake as pain shoots through him. “For fuck's sake, Filbrick… don't move…” The fear in Caryn's voice causes him to freeze and look at her with tired eyes. “My strength charm can only keep you alive for so long… exert all your energy and…”

“Caryn…”

“Stop talking!”

“Caryn.”

“Stop it! I don't want to lose you like this!” Caryn's sobbing form was the last thing Filbrick saw before consciousness faded.

Upon seeing him go limp, she immediately pulled over to check his vitals. He was alive… barely. Without hesitation, she began speeding down the road until a familiar cluster of trees became visible to her about ten minutes later. She hauls Filbrick out of the car and onto her back before jumping into the trees. Even with her glide spell, carrying a dead weight proved difficult.

Sure enough, about a mile into the woods, she comes across a natural spring. She sets Filbrick's body into the water. She pulls out her spell book, flipping rapidly to the page where she wrote her advanced healing spell, and begins reading with a resounding voice.

 _“Oh, spring of purity. This poor soul has been damaged beyond repair. I impart my magic to aid you in your healing prowess, so that they may be restored to their fullest strength.”_  With a gentle touch of her fingertip to the water, mystical energy spreads over its surface toward Filbrick's still form. The water, glowing a bright, vibrant blue, swirls around him, eventually obscuring him from view entirely. Caryn lifts her fingers, her work now done. However, she is quickly reminded that she crafted this spell when she was thirteen, since the disconnect causes a small explosion of magical energy. She's sent flying a few yards away from the spring, rolling to a stop.

Filbrick slowly opens his eyes, filled with a foreign energy. The clearing and spring he lay in are still slightly glowing with the magical energy imparted by Caryn. He looks to find her laying motionless on the ground, intricate mystical patterns burned into her hand. Realization flooding his mind, he scrambles over to her side.

Rolling her over so her head is in his lap, her eyes flutter open. “I… really need to figure out why that happens.” She embraces Filbrick tightly, beginning to sob as he gently returns the gesture. “I didn't want to have to spend days writing a resurrection spell… with your corpse beside me.”

“You saved my life… again.” He pets her hair and plants a gentle kiss to the top of her head. “You okay…?”

“Oh, this?” Caryn looks to her forearm in thought. “It should go away after a few days… no worries. The blast wasn’t enough to leave a permanent mark.” Filbrick leans in and kisses the mystical burns, causing Caryn to blush. “Filbrick,” she starts with a giggle, “stop being so cute.”

“Then stop being so perfect…” He carries her to the car, smiling as she rests her head against his chest. He could just let this be his life forever.  _I could forget everything… Mutter, Frederick, Eileen and Evelynn…_  Filbrick lets out a heavy sigh and stops walking.

“Filbrick?”

He continues walking in a sad silence, knowing that he'd doomed himself.


	4. Regret and Silent Remorse

It had been a few days since they'd left New Jersey. It was well past sunset as Filbrick drove to the sound of the radio, and Caryn was leaning against the window, observing the falling rain. To say she was bored was an understatement. But then she felt it. An unyielding, powerful paranormal presence. Fresh. She sits up straight in her seat, suddenly clapping her hand on Filbrick's shoulder and causing him to swerve. 

“We have to stop the car.”

“Okay, why?” Filbrick did as he was told, and watched Caryn kick off her heels before hopping out of the car. “Oh, boy. What are we dealing with?” He's come to notice that removing her shoes was a sign of paranormal trouble.

“Not sure. Dark. Dangerous. But I feel like lives are on the line.”

He gets out and stretches, sighing. They were surrounded by corn on all sides.  _Probably somewhere in Iowa? Who knows_. The thought of something lurking among the stalks was terrifying. “Where to, hun?”

Caryn pulls out her spell book and levitates upward, peering over the stalks. She points north, determination on her face. “That way. There's a farm house, and the lights are flashing oddly. I think I hear people calling for help, and I feel a very strong presence.”

“Alright… walking through the corn. Not the weirdest thing I've had to do.” He locks his car up and follows her through the corn. “Why aren't we gliding like normal?”

“I get the feeling that I may need to banish a demonic entity. Or at least seal it. I'll need all of my energy for that.” He nods in affirmation as they trudge deeper into the crops.

When they emerge in front of the farm house, Filbrick can definitely hear screams of terror from within. He grabs Caryn's hand, pretending that he's not terrified. Caryn breaks away and kicks open the door with a strength that her petite frame betrayed. A few kids were hiding beneath a table as items were being thrown around the room by an invisible force. The youngest didn't look older than five, and she clung to her older brother so tightly that it looked like his shirt might rip.

Without hesitation, Filbrick rushes over to usher the kids outside as Caryn begins to look around, unfazed by the chaos. Filbrick looks to the oldest of the five kids, still clinging to his baby sister protectively. “Caryn could hear your screams from the road. What is going on in there?!”

“Our parents were out of town for the weekend… we just wanted to use a Ouija board. We thought it was just a stupid prank.”

Filbrick looked from the boy to the girl crying in his arms. “Kids these days are dumb as hell, I swear. I'm going in to help my girlfriend with your demon problem. Stay put and don't move, understood?”

Caryn found the source of the dark energy immediately. The board was sitting in the middle of the living room floor, the planchette sliding over the board in a figure-8 repeatedly. Until she walked into the room. The planchette slides to the edge of the board, pointing directly at her.

“Are you afraid of me?” It quickly slides to “No”. “You should be.”

Filbrick comes into the room, noticing the tension in the air, almost making the oxygen he was breathing viscous in nature. “I'm here if you need anything.” Despite his shaking voice, he put on a brave face.

“Search the house. I need a wooden box, fresh sage, and a silver necklace to bind it.” She pulls a few gemstones from her dress pocket, looking them over.

Filbrick scrambles out of the room, dodging object after flying object. He narrowly avoids getting hit in the head by a butcher’s knife, the blade grazing his cheek. Ignoring the thin trail of blood on his face, he finds a small wooden jewelry cabinet in the entryway. He removes its contents, save for a long silver necklace, and ducks into the kitchen, avoiding another knife.

Caryn sits in front of the board with an unamused expression. “What were you hoping to get out of traumatizing children?”

“S-O-U-L-S”

“So you were planning on killing them?”

“Yes”

“I bet you plan on killing Filbrick and I, too.”

“Yes”

“I've got news for you.” Caryn sets down a small crystal on one side of the board. “You're not collecting any souls tonight, pal.” She sets another to its other side before pulling a small vial of anointed water from her pocket. As she splashes it against the board, the house shakes and demonic screaming fills the air.

Filbrick launches himself into the room, setting the items that she requested at her side. Caryn grabs the board and rips it so the pieces are small enough to fit into the box. She plucks Filbrick's lighter from his pocket and burs the end of the sage before shoving the smoldering bushel into the box with the board and crystals. Grabbing the necklace, she uses it to wrap around the knobs of the cabinet, tying it shut.

 _“Begone, vile entity, tormenting the living. I seal you to this prison, never to see the light of day.”_  The box shakes and rattles for a few moments, glowing with the energy Caryn's sealing spell used, before going still. Caryn stands, cursing under her breath in Latin before grabbing the box and walking outside.

Filbrick, intimidated by her unchanging serious expression, stood back as she began to lecture the children. “Do you have a death wish?” Her voice came out stern. The children shake their heads. “So you're just stupid?” Again, they disagree. “Then you must really hate your parents of you're willing to disobey their specific orders to not mess with this.”

“Ma'am…” The oldest child stepped forward, but stopped at the daggers that Caryn stared.

“When your parents get home, I want you to tell them what happened. Exactly. No lies, no games. The paranormal isn't a toy or a get out of jail free card. It's a real and dangerous practice.” She holds up the box, seriousness not leaving her face. “I've contained the demon in this box and am taking it with me. Do not attempt a stunt like this again. You were lucky I was nearby, or all of you would be dead.”

She doesn't wait for a response before storming off into the corn, Filbrick hot on her trail. He catches up and walks beside her. “Do what do we do with that?” he asks, pointing to the box.

“I keep it. If some idiot were to open it, the demon would be released.” They reach the car and Caryn sticks the box into the trunk before sitting in the passenger seat with a huff. She dries and wraps her feet in her blanket, warming them. “Kids are so stupid.”

“To think… we're not too much older than that boy was.” Filbrick gets behind the wheel when Caryn notices the cut on his cheek.

“What happened?!”

“I-“ Filbrick didn't want to worry her, but the fear in her eyes softened his resolve. “I almost got hit in the head by a flying butcher knife.” His nervous smile betrayed how scared he was in that moment. Caryn licks her thumb, cups the side of his face, and gently wipes away the now dry trickle of blood before kissing the mark left.

“I let you get hurt on my watch during my job. I'm so sorry…”

“Hey, it's fine… let's just get to the next rest stop and sleep it off. Okay?”

_When was the last time Filbrick had eaten? Or drank anything? When did he last sleep? He was exhausted. Two years on t_ _h_ _e street would do that to a person. Perhaps he can escape the cold by hiding in a nearby alleyway? At least huddling against the wall would protect him from the wind chill._

_He presses his back to the wall of the building, pulling his jacket around him tightly. He felt so weak… he knew he should stay alert, as falling asleep at this point could be deadly, but he was just… so tired. He eventually succumbs to his body's need for rest._

_“_ _Filbrick_ _Pines…” He opened his eyes with a start, staring at the triangular being before him. “Funny finding you almost dead…”_

_“What do you want? Isn't using my brother enough for you?”_

_“_ _Yeesh_ _, kid, relax. I'm just here to make an offer.”_ _Filbrick_ _went silent and watched Bill closely. “You see, I've looked into your future. Your first born will be brilliant; smart as hell and born strange with an affinity for the supernatural and science fiction. If Frederick doesn't work out, I need a backup plan.”_

_“You want me to give my first born to you?!”_

_“I'm not done yet! Calm yourself. I can see you're almost dead. I can make sure you live comfortably for the rest of your life. Take my deal, and you'll never be left wanting for anything.”_

_Filbrick_ _looks to the outstretched hand, fear swirling within him. He ponders, but, feeling himself fading, he accepts. He takes Bill's hand, and the demon's laughter echoes in his head until he opens his eyes to see…_

“Filbrick…” He awakens to his head in Caryn's lap as she runs her fingers through his hair. “You were crying in your sleep. You okay?”

“Guess I'm still a bit fucked up about my brother…” He lies. He lies and he knows it. He's in too deep now. “We were close all our lives, but I guess I changed and he stayed the same.”

Caryn continued to run her fingers through his hair in a comforting manner. “I couldn't sleep, so I kept driving. Found a cheap motel so we could rest easier.” Filbrick took in his surroundings for the first time. They were on a cheap bed, a dim lamp barely lighting the room. Outside, the rain had picked up, and cracks of thunder occasionally rumbled overhead. “It got too harsh outside for me to drive in good conscience.”

“That's okay. We'll be in Gravity Falls by tomorrow, with any luck.” Filbrick rolled over so he could hug Caryn around the waist.

She could tell something was on his mind. Other than his brother. He seemed… distant. “Are you sure there isn't anything else bothering you?”

Filbrick stayed quiet, thinking of a response. “Caryn, you were really upset earlier. You're always so carefree that seeing that much… seriousness in your eyes startled me.”

Caryn sighed, continuing to pet his curly hair, softer. “The paranormal is my entire culture. My way of life, my traditions, my cautionary tales… seeing others treat it as a joke or a party trick irks me to no end. When people who know nothing of the culture behind it all try to mess with it… it's dangerous for them and me. I could be outed to society as a witch. They could wind up dead.”

Filbrick tightened his hold, nuzzling her. When he was like this, she could see him for what he was: A scared kid who had no idea what he was doing. Just a few days ago, he was almost dead in an alleyway because he wasn't prepared for the real world. Caryn felt blessed to have her family always watching her back.

Filbrick wanted to curl up and die. He wanted to disappear. Surely, if Caryn found out about his affiliation with Bill, she'd hate him. She'd push him aside. He didn't want to be alone again. Before he knows it, he's fighting tears.

Caryn forced him to look at her, pressed her forehead to his, and began to hum lightly. A faint magical energy glowed around them, and Filbrick felt his worries ease.

“Of course, you're a part of me. I'd never hate you for trying to indulge in my culture.”

Filbrick, thoroughly calmed, sat up to look Caryn in the eyes. He so desperately wanted to tell her, but feared what would happen if he did. He didn't want to lose her like he lost everybody else. She was so kind and patient with him, it felt unreal. He leaned forward, just barely touching their lips together, as though he was surrounded by a false, crystalline reality. Like the world could shatter with the wrong move.

When he pulled away, he left Caryn with a starstruck expression, and she jumped into his arms. For that night at least, nobody could touch them.


	5. Decisions

Filbrick drove past the sign signaling that they were entering Gravity Falls late into the next night. The rain was still a drizzle, lightly pattering the roof of the car while Filbrick drove. He looked to Caryn, asleep leaning against him with his arm around her waist.

“Caryn… hun… wake up… we’re here.” She rouses from sleep and yawns loudly,  cracking her back with a hard stretch. Filbrick is about to turn into the motel when Caryn speaks up.

“No. Not yet.”

“Caryn, I've been driving for almost twenty-four hours. I need to rest.” When he looks to her serious expression, he just sighs.

“Filbrick, I need to get my powers working right as soon as possible. The fate of the universe could hinge on it!” The pout she gave him as they sat in silence caused him to cave, reluctantly.

“Where to, love of my life?”

Caryn hopped out of the car at the edge of the tree line before grabbing her suitcase from the trunk. She goes back inside and Filbrick averts his eyes as she changes. When she finishes, she's wearing… a very cliché witch outfit. And Filbrick's stare of disbelief confuses her.

“What?”

“Big pointed hat… black dress and cloak… a wooden staff… I just thought… that maybe…”

“Yeah, Papa didn't like it, either. Says it's an inappropriate stereotype. But who cares what he thinks? Not everybody rocks the ‘I've lived in the woods for my whole life and have never taken a shower’ look. Besides, you gotta admit it suits me.” The wink she gave him caused him to blush, if not for the truth of the statement, then for the probably unintentional implications.

Their walk into the woods is long and wet. Filbrick would never understand how she could stand going barefoot. She always said it made her magic flow better because of her direct connection to the ground. But her feet must hurt from the cold.

“Mind the gnomes. They're fairly… irritating.” Filbrick jumped as gnomes crossed his path in a wild manner. “We're getting to the heart of the magical part of this forest. My family has come here since the settler era for the coming of age ceremony.”

“How did yours get cut short?” Filbrick watched as she stopped in her tracks, clearly reliving some sort of trauma by the blank expression on her face.

“Monster attack,” she said at last. “I call it a gremloblin. My parents didn’t take too kindly to me trying to tame it before the ceremony. Even more upset when it attacked me during.” She pushes past a bit of brush to find a large clearing and many other mages waiting for her.

They all call out to her and surround her, as though she's known them her whole life. Most of them have European accents, making Filbrick wonder how far the mage influence spreads. A young man points his staff at Filbrick.

“Caryn, poppet… who is this? Do I need to get rid of him?”

“Ben, please… he's my…” She stops for a moment, the red to her face betraying everything. “He's my soul… mate…?”

The clearing erupts into chaos as everybody reacts with differing levels of shock. Most talk about Filbrick's non magical status. Others comment on his appearance. Some give him knowing looks, judging him silently.

“Him…? Love,  you chose him over-“

“Ben, could we please not do this? I'm already embarrassed enough as is. I didn't even invite you to this.” Filbrick watched Caryn pull her hat over her face to hide the tears brimming in her eyes. He rushes over, holding her in a comforting manner. He was suddenly filled with anger.

“You should all be ashamed of yourselves!” His yell attracted the attention of the fifty or so people surrounding them, and the clearing goes eerily silent. “She's already getting enough of this from her own family… you're all supposed to be her friends. Maybe fucking act like it.”

“Filbrick…” He looked to her grateful expression and kissed away her tears. He was filled with a need to protect her from the jeering stares.

“Caryn, it's only been about two weeks, but I feel something special here. And I promise that nobody will ever hurt you.” Caryn smiles at his words before stepping back.

“We have a ceremony to redo. Places everybody.”

Filbrick watched the group get into formation. Almost instantly, all of them had intricate magical sigils below their feet. Rhythmically, they begin pounding their staves to the ground. The man from before, Ben, dons a ceramic mask. That singular eye and the sickening yellow make Filbrick queasy. A low chanting begins from the rest of the clearing, and the circles below everybody's feet are connected by lines, all eventually going to Caryn.

“Bill…” Caryn began, “I wished for the power to save my loved ones… but instead you give me a curse. Why must the people I've saved hate me? Why must I suffer for my love? This wasn't part of the deal…” While it's clear to Filbrick that she's reciting some ancient script, the pain in her voice makes it seem like she's lived through the event in question.

“Don't look back on your decision.” The voice that Ben adopts for his Bill impression is… uncanny. Filbrick shivers both from cold and fear. “You got what you asked for, the choice was yours. I'm not cruel, I'm just inhuman. Oh, didn't you think to consider first?” Filbrick feels a raw anger fill him at the sing-song, mock pity that Bill must have played on this poor child that the ceremony is based on. At this point he can tell from her face that every burst of energy given to Caryn through the pounding of staves is causing her unimaginable pain.

“This won't be the last time you cone to me, begging for remorse. Do you not understand fate or finality?” “Bill” walks up to Caryn and places his hand upon her head. “I did my duty, and it's about time for you to fulfill yours…”

One by one, everybody begins to drive their staves into the ground with enough force to have them stay. The clearing erupts with color and light as the lines connecting them all become  highly concentrated beams. The energy released causes Caryn to scream in agonizing pain, and before she knows it, she's on her knees, breathless.

“Go ahead and cry. There's no salvation left. Look at me with tears spilling from your eyes. Look at me with agony I cannot comprehend.” “Bill” turns away from Caryn, seemingly lost in thought. She struggles to her feet before grabbing her staff and swinging it full force at “Bill”.

All chanting and magical auras cease as Caryn collapses. Filbrick runs in and picks her up, making sure she didn’t die.

“That, my good sir, concludes the ceremony.” The malice behind Ben's words and plastic smile puts Filbrick on edge. “Get Caryn somewhere safe to rest for a few days. The poppet will be exhausted from all that energy.”

Caryn wakes to Filbrick entering the motel room with boxed meals from the diner down the road. She weakly sits up with a smile. “Yeah… not many people can get through that without passing out.”

“You need to rest for a few days. If you get up for anything other than the bathroom, I'll be very upset.”

Caryn looks at Filbrick, pointing a plastic fork at her accusingly and kicking off his shoes, and just snorts. “I wouldn't dream of moving from this spot.”

Filbrick hands her food to her, smiling as he watches her devour his food. He opens his container to find bacon with his pancakes. “Ugh, I hate that. You eat bacon? I don't.” Caryn just turns to him with bright eyes, pancake hanging from her mouth. “I'll take that as a yes.” He puts his bacon into her container and smiles. “So… wanna explain what… happened out there?”

Caryn swallows her mouthful of pancake and takes a moment to compose herself. “It has to do with the first mage. The poor boy wanted to protect his family during an incoming war. But… his newfound powers turned everybody against him. They rejected his help, his family and friends died because they abandoned him, and he was left wondering what the point was.”

“So he fought back.”

“Bill is… a fickle being.” Caryn looks down at her food, distressed. “From our research and our long family history with him, we've concluded that he can't be killed. Just weakened or sealed temporarily. And I doubt we're the first dimension to deal with his shenanigans…”

“Wait…” Filbrick set his container aside and looked at Caryn. “We're not the only dimension?”

Caryn's eyes light up as she hops to sit on her knees written a smile.  “You're actually going to humor me?”

“Explain.”

Caryn, seeing the wonder that is seemingly always present on Filbrick's face around her, smiles wide. “I mean, if multiverse theory is to be believed, for every outcome in a situation, there's a dimension where that outcome happened. There's a dimension where I didn't find you. One where we didn't come here. One where my parents didn't let you stay. Infinite possibilities means infinite universes.” She speaks with her hands, gesturing large and enthusiastically. Filbrick adores it. He wants to keep her light in his life. It was at that moment that he decided it: he wanted to be by her side forever, regardless of what may come.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I was waiting for this chapter, honestly. I listen to the madoka magica soundtrack for magical inspiration, and a specific cover just... inspired the whole ceremony scene.


	6. Purity

_You're stupid as hell,_ _Filbrick_ _. She's going to find out eventually, and she'll hate you when she does. She'll push you away, you'll be alone again, you may as well just kill_ _yourse_ _-_

“Unicorn hair!” Caryn's sudden joyous screech pulled Filbrick from his dangerous line of thought. They'd been walking in the woods for a few hours, a daily routine they've taken to since she regained her energy. He looks to the colorful thread in her hands and smiles.

“Unicorns?” He laughed a bit as she continued on, enthusiastic smile spread over her face.

“Yeah. They're nearby. If I could bring home a decent lock of unicorn hair, then I could keep us safe from Bill.” He walks beside her, watching her emerald eyes light up.

“How do we get some?”

“That's the problem. Unicorns are frustrating. You need to have a pure heart for them to grant you their hair.”

“Sounds like a scam.” He shakes his head as they enter a clearing. He can see the gnome tavern that they visited yesterday; some of the gnomes are glaring at him. Probably on account of him punting the little guy across the clearing.

“It probably is.” Caryn pulls out her book and clears her throat before bellowing out a chant so deep that Filbrick does a double take to make sure it's actually coming from her. The ground shakes as the stones encircling the clearing rise up, revealing the Unicorn Sanctuary. They head in wordlessly.

“Oh, if it isn't Caryn. How long has it been? Six years?” The unicorn stands from where she was laying before shaking her head to show off her mane.

“Celestebellabethabell, I've come to prove that I am truly pure of heart.” Caryn stands tall and proud. Until Celestabell starts laughing. Caryn's poker face falters.

“Caryn Romanoff, pure of heart? That wasn't true when you were twelve, and it isn't true now.” The unicorn points her horn at Caryn's chest, and a black heart glows from within. “You're just as stubborn and hot headed now as you were six years ago.”

“Celestabell, please, I need your hair to keep my family safe.” Caryn drops to her knees and begs, tears forming in her eyes. “What can I do to win your approval?”

“Maybe stop being a bad person. That's your call to make, not mine.”

The intense rage that has been building in Filbrick's chest finally breaks free as he hears Caryn sob. “Listen here, ya dumb fucking horse.” He steps forward and looks the unicorn in the eyes. “My girl Caryn is the purest of heart person I know. She saved my life despite everything you hear about homeless people in Jersey alleyways. She saved five kids from almost dying by the hands of a demon, and now she's begging you to let her protect her family.”

“She's only doing it to win praise. Doing good deeds to make yourself look good isn't good at all.” She steps toward Filbrick and points her horn to his chest. Her eyes open to that sickly yellow, slitted pupil. “Besides. You're not too innocent yourself. Your whole relationship is based on lies.” Filbrick shoots a panicked look to Caryn, noticing her staring at him in confusion. She clearly hasn't seen the possessed eyes and he won't let her.

“Don't listen to her, Caryn! She's trying to start something that isn't true!”

“You'll have to tell her eventually, Filbrick! You can't escape the tru-!”

CelestaBill's words are cut off by Filbrick throwing a left hook directly into the unicorn's nose. Bill's presence is thrown from his host, and she falls to the ground, unconscious. Filbrick pulls out his pocket knife and cuts off a good chunk of her hair, handing it to Caryn. “Definitely a scam.”

Caryn gives Filbrick an uncertain look before pocketing the lock, staying silent as they walk back to the hotel. She breaks her silence once the door closes. “You haven't been lying to me… right?”

“What?” Filbrick, panic crossing his eyes, sits on the bed with mock offense. “Caryn, I… I would never lie to you. About anything.”  _But I am. And I desperately wish I could convey that without risk of you leaving me._

Caryn lets out a sigh of relief before sitting beside him. “Let's head home tomorrow. I miss my parents.”

“You're worried.” Filbrick pulls her in close, guilt and fear clouding his mind. “We’ll... we’ll be okay.” He’s telling himself that more than anything. “Everything will be fine.”

“You’re worried,” Caryn mirrors Filbrick’s sentiment. “About your brother.”

“How can I not be worried?” Filbrick let himself flop back onto the bed with a heavy sigh. “He’s my twin. And he’s... in trouble.”

“We can’t do much for him until we can take Bill down for good.” Caryn lays beside him and cuddles up to him. “I just wish I could figure it out.”

“Hey, don’t put all of this pressure on your shoulders.”

“But-”

“No.” Filbrick turns to face her, looking deep into her eyes. “Your family has been fighting him for centuries, correct?”

“Y-Yeah...”

“Then maybe there is no way to take him down. And we just have to prolong the peace.” He returns to his back, staring to the ceiling. “Maybe... he’s a chaotic balance.”

“Filbrick, stop saying smart things about the supernatural... it’s my job.” Filbrick laughs at her statement and looks at her. The way her eyes seem to glow in the dim light of the hotel room, the amount of love that she looks to him with... it eases his fears.

Filbrick is woken in the night by Caryn crying. “Babe...?” He sits up to look at her in concern.

“It’s nothing... I just had a nightmare, that’s all.”

He hugs her tightly from behind, planting a gentle kiss to the top of her head. “I’m here for you... It’s okay.”

“You’d tell me if you had a connection to Bill, right?” Her accusation comes out of left field, and FIlbrick lets go of her so she can turn and look at him. “I don’t know if my dream was prophetic or from stress.”

“Caryn... of course I’d tell you.”  _Liar._  “I love you, why would I lie to you?”  _You’re afraid of being alone, you_ _asshat_ _._  “I know how seriously you take Bill.”  _And yet you can’t seem to stop the stream of falsehoods coming from your mouth._  Filbrick, ignoring his negative thoughts, reaches out and places his hand on Caryn’s shoulder in comfort. “I would never let anything happen to you.”

Caryn only nods before hugging him. “I’m sorry, I’m just... very confused right now.”

“Let’s go back to sleep... we’ll be home in a few days, and then I can start building a life for myself.”


	7. The Beginning

The four-day drive back was rather uneventful. Upon checking on the family from the ouija board incident, it seems their parents have started taking them to church weekly, and driving past Frederick’s theme park during operating hours shows it’s rather popular.

Returning to the beach house, Caryn immediately starts to tell her parents about their little journey, presenting the box and unicorn hair in triumph. Filbrick can only watch her and smile as he goes and grabs his money.

“Filbrick, honey! Where are you off to in such a hurry?” He stops at the front door with an awkward smile at Caryn’s voice. “House hunting. Gotta find a place to set up shop as soon as possible, right?” He’s left looking at her sad expression. “Hey, I don’t want to leech off your family forever. I gotta be my own person, babe.”

“I just... thought you’d be staying longer, is all.” She looks to the ground with tear-filled eyes.

Filbrick reaches out and puts a hand on her shoulder, not being able to hide his smile. “Just because I’m looking for my own place doesn’t mean we stop seeing each other, Caryn. Besides, I wanted to look for something nearby.”

Her lips spread into an ecstatic smile, and she grabs his wrist, pulling him out the door. “I’ll help you look!!”

They eventually find a two-story building right off the beach, slightly run down and dilapidated. The owner – an elderly balding man wearing a suit that is a size too small – is standing outside, presumably upset that he just can’t sell the damn thing. “Stupid economy.”

“Excuse me, sir... is the building for sale?” The owner turns, seemingly startled, to see Filbrick and Caryn holding hands. He coughs nervously before donning a wide smile and meeting Filbrick with a handshake.

“Why, yes, it is for sale! As you can see, it’s in a bit of a state of disrepair-”

“Oh, that’s okay.” FIlbrick gets looked at like he’s an absolute nut-case. “I feel up to the repair challenge. Care to show me inside?”

He’s brought into the brick building to inspect. The front room is definitely perfect for a store display, despite looking like it should be a dining room/living room combination given the size and archway to the kitchen. The kitchen is big enough to have a decently sized dining table against the wall and would be separate from the front room with the installation of an actual door. The other half of the downstairs area behind the front room is more of a hall, with stairs leading up to the rest of the home. There’s enough space here for a chair and bookshelf. Upstairs are the three bedrooms, one of which Filbrick could easily turn into a living room, and a bathroom.

“Well, what do ya think?” The realtor looks desperate to sell, and Filbrick smiles slightly.

“Well, I think that the brickwork outside could use some work, and some of the wood needs to be replaced because of what looks like water damage... but other than that, it’s perfect.” Filbrick looks to the man with his smile. “How much?”

The poor guy looks floored that Filbrick is asking, and stammers over his words. “Oh, you’re actually buying? Well, it’s a good chunk lower thanks to the existing damage, so... sixty grand?”

“Cash or check? I don’t have a checkbook, so I can go to the bank if need be.”

The look of absolute bewilderment on the other man’s face confuses Filbrick. “You... just have sixty thousand dollars... physically on your person. In the slums of Glass Shard Beach, New Jersey. Do you have a death wish?”

“Well, it’s more like... two hundred grand? I... don’t have a bank account.” There is a long and awkward silence between the three of them, in which Caryn just slams her palm over her face.

“Sir, with all due respect, you’re an idiot.” He takes a deep breath before smiling. “I’m giving you a break since you’re just a kid, but please. Go set up a fucking bank account. Pay by check, or I will personally murder you.”

Caryn led Filbrick away with a nervous smile. “You didn't set up a bank account? Are you nuts?”

Filbrick rubbed the back of his neck with a laugh. “The banker also looked at me like I was crazy. Let's  hope I get the same teller.”

Filbrick, upon entering the bank, immediately approaches the teller he recognizes. She leans on her hand with a smug smile. “Need a bank account for the two hundred grand yet?” Filbrick turns an embarrassed shade of pink before nodding and wordlessly setting his bag on the counter. “I'll set that up for you.”

He ended up leaving the bank looking defeated. Caryn watched as he wordlessly got into the car and sighed. “Filbrick, are you okay?”

“No, I'm not. Sure, my brother and I are idiots in our own rights. He's impulsive and always got his head in the clouds. I overthink things and don't exactly make very practical decisions. But when we were together –“ Filbrick removes his sunglasses and leans his head against the steering wheel, letting a few tears fall. Caryn notices his distress and rubs his back in comfort. “– we kept each other grounded. We were a perfect team. I didn't make stupid moves like this.”

Caryn pressed a kiss to the back of his head, her heart aching for him. “I'm sure… they miss you. Your family, I mean.”

“I don't know. From what I heard, Fred was in the hospital for a while because of the concussion caused by the books that fell on him. They probably hate me.” Caryn just continued to rub his back with a soft smile. She decided to not press the issue, instead focusing on his new house.

“Well, you have a house. We can be happy about that.”

“You're right!” Filbrick put his sunglasses back on, pulling out of the parking lot with purpose. Thankfully the homeowner was still waiting as he walked over and wrote out the check.

“Pleasure doing business with ya, kid.” Filbrick shakes his hand with a smile before looking to the building.

“This place… needs some work.” A brick falls from the wall as he and Caryn stare.

“Luckily, you have the money to do so.” She hugs his arm with a determined smile, looking brightly into his eyes. “It won't be too hard. Some bricks, some mortar, some new wood to replace the damaged flooring, new carpets…” As Caryn went on, Filbrick could already envision the place. He smiled wide as he started writing down what they'd need.

Getting supplies wasn't hard at all, and before thesy knew it, Filbrick and Caryn were working the outside of the building. Besides the rain sometimes making work impossible and the countless times either of them were almost hit by falling brick, the reworking went rather smoothly. Inside was almost worse with how many tines damaged floorboards sprang up to clock Filbrick in the head. Every time he was ready to give up, he'd hear Caryn giggle and his nerves would soften.

Nothing prepared them for the mouse infestation they discovered when flooring the front room. Filbrick pulled up a floorboard to hear a cavalcade of squeaks and scuttling. Setting it to the side, he discovered a massive colony of mice swarming beneath their feet. Thousands of tiny rodents crossed over one another, sending the two into a frenzy.

“Filbrick… what do we do?” Caryn put her shoes back on immediately, shaking at the level of infestation they were dealing with. Filbrick sat, lost in thought, before getting a smile on his face. “I really don't like when you get that look.”

“Caryn… hand me that can of spray paint.” He takes the can and pulls out his lighter, gaining a manic smile as he creates a home made flamethrower. He aims over the hole, startling the mice, before aiming the flames inside. Anybody walking outside would see thousands of mice frantically escaping the crawlspace. After dealing with the mice, Filbrick turned to Caryn with triumph, only to see her pressed against the wall in abject terror.

“Filbrick…  _never_  do that again.”

In the days after renovation, Filbrick installed shelving units in the shop, bought a sign, started to accumulate furniture… it started to seem less like the hovel they had bought, and more like a home. And business. It was perfect. His own slice of heaven. But he couldn't help feeling like there was something missing.

He walked along the beach at sunset with Caryn on their final day of moving and renovation, thoughts clouding his mind. The past few months seemed to fly by, and he found himself nervously fiddling with the velvet box in his pocket. For a moment, he questioned if he wanted to do this. If either of them were ready. If the risks that Bill's deal introduced were worth it. But seeing Caryn look out at the ocean with a smile, he knew he wanted this.

“Caryn, babe…” She turns to look at him, attentive. “I want you to know… how much you mean to me. How much these last few months have meant to me.” He takes off his sunglasses so she can see his eyes, and her face flushes red as he kneels to the ground and pulls out the box from his pocket. “I know… that I'm really dumb. And frustrating. But… you help me feel in ways I never thought I could.” He releases her hand to open the box and reveal the ring, and locks eyes with her absolutely shocked expression. “Caryn Romanoff… will you marry me?”

The whole world stops as he awaits her response. He watches her expression closely, taking notice of the tears in her eyes, and the way she's seemingly bracing herself. He watches as she, with a smile, begins sobbing uncontrollably. She drops to her knees, wrapping her arms tightly over his shoulders in pure bliss. “Of course,” she croaks out between sobs. “I love you, Filbrick Pines.”

“I love you, too… Caryn Pines.” He pulls her in close, the two of them falling to the sand and holding each other. His worry and fear cannot touch him in this moment, his happiness shielding him.

“My parents! We have to tell them!” She jumps up and pulls him to his feet with a laugh. Her expression falters. “Your family… we have to tell them.”

“What? No! If they come to the wedding…”

“Filbrick.” Her stern tone dragged him from his worried thoughts. “Your mother didn't save you from the holocaust for you to not invite her to your wedding. We have. To tell them.”

Filbrick swallowed the frog that quickly entered his throat and began sweating as Caryn dragged him to his car. He reluctantly drove to his childhood home, memories of how he stormed out in a fit of tears flooding back to him. He remembered how the rain poured and the sound of his mother's frantic speech as she check his twin's unconscious form. But he forced himself from the car. He knocked on the door and saw his mother's face, aged from years of worry.

“Filbrick?” Her voice was but a whisper as she dragged both him and Caryn inside. “Harold, Filbrick's home…” Filbrick's step father stood and walked over to him as he stood – shoulders squared, head up, arms at his sides, knees locked, feet together – and braced himself, fully ready to be backhanded across the face. Instead, he was greeted with a hug and a sigh of relief.

Filbrick couldn't stop himself from breaking down and sobbing, clinging to his stepfather's jacket. He let himself truly break for the first time since the night he left home, gratefully accepting his mother into the hug. “Where are Eileen and Evelynn?” The solemn looks on his parents' faces filled Filbrick with sheer panic.

“Filbrick…” his mother met his gaze, “… they went looking for you after you left, despite us telling them to stay put… and we couldn't find them. They've been missing for two years.” Filbrick had to take a moment to sit down. Caryn's words of comfort couldn't reach him in his panicked haze.

_Two eight year old girls go looking for their big brother on a stormy night in the bad part of town._ _Anything could have happened to them._ _And it's your fault,_ _Filbrick_ _Pines. You let your baby sisters get hurt._ _They could be dead or worse because you decided to run_ _awa_ _-_

Filbrick's breathing was uneven as his panic attack set in. His fingers tightly gripped his curly hair as he put his head between his knees. He let his sunglasses fall as he let out wails of agony.

_“Pines twins, grab your things and come to the office_ _!_ _Your_ _stepfather's_ _picking you up!”_ _The_ _ten year old boys look to each other_ _in joy._

_“The baby!”_ _Filbrick_ _was the first out of his seat and racing for the door_ _, his brother right behind him._

_Upon arriving to the hospital and entering their mother's room, they see two pink blankets in their mother's arms._ _Filbrick_ _smiles wide at the thought of being a big brother, and gently reaches out for one of his sisters._

_“That's Evelynn,” their stepfather states as he hands_ _Filbrick_ _the tiny human, “and this is Eileen.”_

_Filbrick_ _looks with bright eyes between the two girls and starts to tear up. “I hope they know I would die for them._ _” This elicits a laugh from his parents as he coddles the twin girl he holds._

_“Filly!”_ _Filbrick_ _came in from school to his sisters immediately attaching themselves to each of his legs._ _They look up at him with curly, dirty_ _blonde_ _hair and matching dresses. “Mama got us_ _from pre_ _school early so we could spend our birthday with you and Freddy!_ _”_

_“Fred has_ _choir practice_ _. He won't be home until_ _five.” He set his bag by the door and pulled his sisters in for a hug. “What do_ _ya_ _wanna_ _do while we wait?”_

_“_ _Makeovers!”_

_“Tea party!”_

_Watching his sisters trying to figure out which to do_ _gave_ _Filbrick_ _a laugh._ _“How about a makeover tea party, huh?”_ _He was immediately dragged to their room_ _. H_ _aving two four year olds assault_ _him with fake tea, their mother's make-up, and putting ribbons in his hair was worth_ _the smiles they gave._

_Being a chaperone for his baby sisters' trip to the zoo was not ideal, but it was definitely worth missing dissecting frogs over._ _He took his eyes off of them for only a moment, and he immediately found them again when he heard screaming._

_The lion exhibit. She_ _and Eileen were_ _trapped in the lion exhibit._ _She must have slid through the bars of the_ _railing_ _and down the wall. And feeding time wasn't for another thirty minutes._ _He didn't hesitate, running through the crowd_ _and over the rail._ _He rolled as he hit the ground and grabbed a nearby stick_ _, waving it defensively at the big cats that were circling his sisters._ _Seeing that not really working, he produced his lighter and_ _set_ _the end of the stick_ _, covered in cobwebs, ablaze._

_The lions began to back away as he waved the fire at them, and once they were a safe distance, he helped his siblings back up_ _the sides._ _He climbed his way back up thanks to helpful bystanders, and just held his sisters tightly_ _as they cried._

Caryn watches her fiancé let out screaming wails as his tears fall to the ground. She could sense his aura, spiking and swirling in chaotic agony and grief. He blamed himself. His parents sat on either side of him, his mother crying as well, seeing her son in so much pain. His stepfather just tightly shut his eyes and let his tears fall.

After about an hour, the family was silent. “I… actually came to invite you to my wedding. This is my fiancé, Caryn.” Filbrick's voice was unusually quiet, a startling difference in the life he'd shown over the past few months.

“Your brother… hasn't contacted us since he left home.” His mother looked concerned, but Filbrick shook his head.

“He's fine. Running that stupid theme park of his. Doesn't want to see me.”

There wasn't really much else to say, so Filbrick said his farewells after another thirty minutes of heavy silence.

“I'm so sorry, love.” Caryn puts a hand on his shoulder as he got into the car. “They don't blame you-"

“They should.” Filbrick wiped away his stray tears before putting his sunglasses back on. “My sisters are dead or worse because of me. I shouldn't have stormed out.” The drive back to the beach house was silent. Nothing but the sound of the engine and the patter of heavy rain.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Things start to take a turn for Filbrick here. Bear with me.


	8. Whiplash

Days passed. And then months. The wedding plans were going smoothly, although Filbrick was being a tad reckless with his money. The house occasionally needed a repair here and there – things missed during the initial remodeling. It wasn't anything they couldn't handle.

What Caryn couldn't handle was Filbrick's silence. His anguish. His pain. He didn't need to speak for her to know he was hurting. Even if she couldn't feel the cacophony of chaos that his aura had become, he sat in their living room drinking heavily when he wasn't running the shop. She hated that. He wasn't an awful drunk, but it was depressing to look at. Although, she guessed she couldn't relate, being an only child. He needed to cope. He lost his little sisters and his brother hated him.

Caryn stopped washing the dishes downstairs. She heard speaking from the living room. Not from the TV. No, that was definitively Filbrick's voice. She strained her ears as she made her way up. He sounded like he was speaking to somebody.

_But who?_  She stopped at the living room door.  _We're alone in the house right now._

Caryn felt it. That energy. There were spirits here. She closed her eyes and could feel the presence of two little girls. Her heart sank. Filbrick was conversing with his sisters. His  _dead_  sisters. Every interaction strengthened their hold on the mortal plane, and kept them from passing on. Caryn went back downstairs and called her father. He had dealt with her grandfather's spirit in her early childhood. Perhaps he could help now.

“Hello?” Caryn thanked all forces that he answered.

“Papa, it's me.”

“Caryn? What's wrong, love?”

“I-" Caryn silenced herself. She would have to tread carefully. “I think Filbrick is being visited by the spirits of his baby sisters.”

“ _Oh.”_ His voice wavered a little, his tone hushed. Caryn had no idea why he was responding like that. She had explained to her parents about the situation with Filbrick and his sisters. “Caryn... you two are in grave danger.”

She blinked.  _Grave danger? How does that make sense?_  She took a deep breath and let out a long sigh. “Papa... what do you mean?”

“Caryn, I love you, but please. Think.  _Those aren’t his sisters_.” Caryn stopped and wracked her brain for information. She looked to the floor with a furrowed brow. Then it hit her.

“Demons?”

“You know that they are notorious for taking the form of something innocent, like a child. Gain your trust and open you up. Please, don’t try to handle this yourself, I’ll be there shortly.”

“Papa, Filbrick needs to know now-”

“Caryn, love... if they know he knows, things will get more dangerous. They’ve got a hook in him. We don’t need him possessed. My question is, how did demons get into your home?”

“I... oh... the box.” Caryn looked to the sealed jewelry box that sat on their counter to find it open. It had escaped. And it wasn’t just one. “I may have poorly sealed a demon or two into a jewelry box during our road trip.”

“Caryn Romanoff...” Her father’s disappointed tone soaked into her core as she looked to the ground in shame. “I’m coming right now. Keep an eye on Filbrick. Don’t let him or the demons in on what’s happening.”

Caryn hung up the phone and sighed. She really wasn’t good for anything, was she? No matter how hard she tried, things like this slipped her grasp. She slowly headed upstairs, playing dumb. She could see the demons manifesting as the young girls. She could see FIlbrick with a tear stained smile. But she knew.

“Filly, wanna see something neat?” He nodded in approval. This was the first time since he talked to his mother and stepfather that he felt... at ease. Even though they were dead, his sisters were happy. They were with  _him_. “Close your eyes, Filly!” He did, and shook slightly as he felt a tiny hand on his forehead. He thought it was going to feel cold. But it was hot to the touch. Almost painful. He opened his eyes when he heard Caryn scream.

Where his sisters had been was replaced with two tall black figures. Horned, winged, sporting elongated, clawed limbs and piecing, glowing white eyes. One had its claws of one hand dug slightly into his scalp. The burning pain was unbearable. Fear enveloped every inch of his being. He couldn’t move as it leaned close. He felt like he was ripped from his body, and sure enough, that being took control.

He watched helplessly as Caryn tried to fight off the demons on her own. He felt unbridled panic as she threw anointed water, salt, anything she could think of at the beings. But the one puppeteering Filbrick’s body wasn’t budging. It commanded his body forward toward her as she tripped backward and fell to the floor, terrified. “Fil, honey, this isn’t you... fight back, love, please... you can take back control. I know you can.” Filbrick witnessed tears rolling down her cheeks as she watched the demon inhabiting him with wide, green eyes.

He saw a flash of yellow zoom toward him. Bill.

“Remember, I need your kid as insurance in case things with your brother don’t pan out. So, let me just take care of these demons for you, Shades.” Bill grabbed his hand and pulled his soul back into his body. The pain he felt as Bill and this demon battled for dominance in his head was unreal. He put his hands to either side of his head and fell to his knees with a blood curdling scream.

Caryn watched in horror, face pale, before her father kicked open the front door and strode inside. From his cloak he retrieved an ancient book and flipped it open. The meaning of the language he spoke was lost to Caryn as her father laid a hand upon Filbrick’s head.

Filbrick's screams became more guttural, his eyes wrenched shut in pain.  _This was it,_  he thought.  _I'm dying tonight._  The other demon, terrified by Shura's raw power, fled out the window. Filbrick's whole body  _burned_. His throat ached from the screams he emitted. He could almost  _feel_  Bill physically fighting this demon off, like they were slamming each other against the walls of his body. Every pulse of magical energy made him sick to his stomach. He could hear every scream that the demon made. Feel every careless claw to his subconscious that Bill subjected him to. Tears poured down his cheeks, and he dare not look up for fear of Shura and Caryn seeing those murky yellow slit pupils.

Caryn watched with tear-filled eyes as Filbrick continued to let out distorted screams of pain. She wished she had some way to ease the process, but interfering might make things much worse. Every so often, she could hear him whisper pleas of help between screams, and it drove her insane. Caryn reached out in am attempt to comfort, only to be given a glare by her father. She shrank back.

Items began to be thrown about the room as the demon residing in Filbrick became more aggressive. He watched in a haze as Caryn curled into a ball and covered her ears, trying to block everything out as much as she could. Another sharp burning pain shot through him as his feet left the floor, and surely, he thought, he was going to finally die. But then it all stopped. In his half-conscious state, Filbrick saw Bill physically chuck the demon out the door before giving him an unreadable look. Without a word, the triangle vanished into the night.

Filbrick lost consciousness as Caryn went to rush to his side, but her father stopped her. “Caryn,” his voice came stern, “marrying this man is a dangerous and reckless move, and I cannot allow it.”

“I... what?” Caryn looked up at her father with a furrowed brow, jaw hanging. “Why do you say that?”

Shura crossed his arms. He was trying so hard to be firm, but seeing his daughter’s look of disdain filled him with anguish. “I foresee great pain in your future if you choose to stay with him. I have only your best interest in mind.”

A long silence permeated the room. Caryn looked to the ground with tears in her eyes, her hands balling into fists at her sides. “How do you know what my best interest is?!” Her shout came out louder than intended, and magic energy swirled around her as she became filled with raw emotion. “You hardly even know me!” How could he  _say_  that? Having her best interest in mind. Really? All he did was shove history and lessons down her throat on a daily basis, not bothering to ask what she wanted out of it all. In the eighteen years that she had been under his roof, not  _once_  did he ever  _ask_  if she even  _wanted_  her heritage.

“Caryn... I know you’re upset, but-”

“But fucking NOTHING.” Caryn shoved her father away, tears leaking down her face. The magical energy building with her emotions amplified her strength, sending Shura flying across the room. “I’m not  _YOU_!” She stood, panting, for several minutes before calming herself and keeping her gaze fixed to the ground. “I’m not.... I’m not you, Papa.”

Shura stayed silent for several minutes more, not wanting to hurt her any more than he already has.  _She is correct. She isn’t me._  “I’m sorry, Caryn. You know I love you.”

“Papa. I’m... very angry with you right now.” Her voice was barely audible, almost drowned out by the heavy silence. “I don’t want to see you until the wedding. Leave our home immediately.”

“Caryn, love-”

“I said GO!” A wave of energy fired at her father with her shout, flinging him out the door. She stood silently crying for a few moments before going to check on FIlbrick.

Filbrick awakened in an unfamiliar environment. Well, it was familiar... just not where he was. The ocean waves gently lapped at him, and he noticed a familiar blue glow. His body ached. He looked over to see Caryn, angrily bandaging her arm. He could make out the ends of magical burns, more serious than last time.

“Caryn?” His voice was hoarse from screaming. “Are... you okay?”

“I’m. Fine.” Her tone was harsh as she spat out both words. She stood from her spot, dusting the sand off her dress, before pacing through the sand. “The fucking  _nerve_  of him. Saying marrying you is ‘dangerous’ and ‘reckless’.” She angrily kicked at the sand before letting herself fall backward. “I didn’t  _choose_  this life, Filbrick. I didn’t  _choose_  to be part of some magical destiny. I didn’t  _choose_  to be  _born_.” She let out a sigh before quietly sobbing. “I just... wish I was normal. With a normal life. And a normal family.”

“Care to go on?”

“I-” She looked at him with a glare, “I never went to a normal school. Never made friends with normal kids. It was always ‘Be careful around Common Folk, Caryn’ and ‘No magic in daylight in public, Caryn’. My family is so  _scared_  of being discovered. The only friends I have still live in Europe. And even then, all they can talk about is how their practice is coming along.” She sat up and began drawing in the sand with a stick, tears beginning to flow. “For once... I just want to be a part of something... simple. Normal. Is that too much to ask?”

Filbrick let that sink in. It was a lot to digest. But he had his views. “I’m glad you’re not normal.”

“Why?”

“If you were normal... I would’ve died. I wouldn’t have felt love. I would have never known how much is out there. If you were normal... I wouldn’t be here.”

Caryn thought on that statement, staying silent for a long while. “You’re the only good thing to come out of all this, Filbrick. I love you.”

“I love you too.” He felt a chill go through him, scaring Caryn as she suddenly realized that he was still in the water.

“Well, if you die of hypothermia, I won’t have anybody to marry! Get up, ya idiot.” Caryn helped Filbrick stand and he was stuck staring into her eyes with a goofy grin.

“Never realized how much taller than me you are.”

“Filbrick! Go inside!”

“It makes you prettier.”

“FIlbrick.”

“The moon really makes your eyes glow.”

“If you don’t get inside, I will kill you myself.”


	9. Damp

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> prepare for whiplash

As soon as things livened up after the exorcism, they immediately went back downhill. Somehow even worse. Caryn came inside after a trip to the library, freshly fallen leaves clinging to her hair. In her bag she carried psychology textbooks and a bottle of water. As she opened the door, she wasn’t surprised to see the shop closed. Filbrick had been too depressed to leave bed as of late.

Caryn made her way up to their bedroom to find him curled into a tight ball under their blanket. She stepped over the bottles of whiskey that had been accumulating over the weeks. “Fil, hun... we need to talk.”

“I told you, I’m fine.”

She grimaced at his response. “No. You’re not. You need to acknowledge that.” She sat on the edge of the bed and took her water bottle out from her bag, offering it to Filbrick. “Drink this. Please?” He slowly sat up and obliged, but said nothing. Dark circles had formed beneath his eyes, making him look frail and ill. “Filbrick... it’s okay to be sad. But you don’t need to be upset alone.”

Filbrick stopped dead at that phrasing. He’d heard it once before.

_ “Fil, come on.” Frederick tried to pry his brother from his bunk, and groaned when Filbrick pulled himself back in. “Why are you so upset?” _

_ “I’m not... I’m not good enough.” _

_ “Filbrick, you didn’t get into advanced economics, it isn’t the end of the world.” Frederick sat on the edge of the bed with a heavy sigh, wondering what even the point was in trying to get him to come out of his funk. He felt Filbrick trembling beside him before noticing that he was quietly sobbing. “Are you... crying? Over a high school class?” _

_ “You don’t get it, Fred.” _

_ “So, explain it to me!” _

_ “You’re so much better than me. At everything. Being smart was all I had, Frederick. You’re creative, you’re charismatic, you’re organized...” Filbrick listed things on his fingers as he spoke before sitting up. “You’re better looking, you’re more popular, you’re just... better. And now you’re better at school than I am, and you don’t even want to go. I just... it was the one thing I had that was mine.” _

_ Frederick looked to the floor with clouded vision. “You don’t have to cry alone, you know. I’m always here for you.” _

_ “I cry alone because my pain shouldn’t be anybody else’s burden.” Filbrick flopped back down, crossing his arms. “I don’t want to be a bother.” _

_ “Filbrick, that’s what love is. Shouldering each other’s burdens so that you can stand stronger together.” Frederick sat his brother back up and wiped away his tears with a small, crooked smile. “I love you, Fil. You’re my twin.” _

_ The corners of Filbrick’s mouth fell deep and red flooded his face. “Shut up, you fucking... sap factory.” He stayed silent for a few more seconds. “Pine trees. Those are sap factories. You’re a pine tree.” He flopped back down, facing away from his brother. _

_ Frederick just gave him a soft smile before hugging him close. “You’re a pine tree, you pine tree.” _

“Filbrick, are you listening to me?” He was snapped back to the present by Caryn’s voice. “The wedding is in a month, and I... I want you to be okay during it.” Caryn set her bag to the side and removed her scarf with a sullen expression. “We haven’t even decided whether we’re using your traditions or mine.”

“Why not both?” Filbrick, for the first time in months, was showing genuine interest in something Caryn had to say.

“Well, I mean. Mage weddings are... pretty intense.”

“Okay, just make the suggestion and shoot it down. What, do brides just shoot the groom and then raise them from the dead? Is your dad a zombie?”

“Filbrick, that-”

He stopped for a moment to ponder. “Actually, being a zombie would be pretty fucking neat. Please tell me that’s one of the traditions.”

Caryn gave an exaggerated scoff. “What? No! Filbrick.” She stands and sighs before walking to their mirror. “You would be... imbued with some of my essence, and vice versa. We would be given a piece of each other’s soul. Literally.”

“That actually really razzes my berries.” Caryn, absolutely taken aback by him speaking with any sort of slang, had to do a double take at that face that was trying  _ so hard _  not to laugh.

“Filbrick. Please do me a favor and never say that again.” She looked back into the mirror, brushing a stray hair from her face. “Besides, it shouldn’t ‘razz your berries’. It’s a very painful process.”

“ Caryn, why do all of your important ceremonies cause physical pain?”

“Why do all of your important ceremonies involve starving yourself?” Filbrick was silent for a long time, actually a tad offended. But what he really didn’t want to admit was that he never looked into why. He just took his faith and traditions at face value and didn’t question anything. Caryn seemed to understand that, and gave a triumphant ‘humph’. “Yeah, that’s what I fucking thought, shut your mouth.”

“Caryn... I want this to be a symbol of us.” He hauled himself out of bed to go to her and wrap his arms around her waist. “We should combine our traditions.”

“Okay... well, list some of yours and I’ll see if they complement any of mine.” They sat back on the bed, Filbrick still hugging her.

“Fasting.”

“I’ll pass out at the altar. I need food, Filbrick. My family’s weddings are catered with a massive potluck.”

Filbrick leaned his head on Caryn’s back, lost in thought, before smiling in realization. “It’s not like... mandatory. We can skip that. How about the Bedeken? The groom veils the bride before the wedding as a symbol of love for her inner beauty. Also to know that she isn’t being switched out for her sister.”

“I’m gonna pretend that you didn’t say that last part. The veil would be a nice touch for the dance part of the soul fragment ceremony.”

“There’s...” Filbrick released Caryn and looked terrified, “there’s a dance?” He swallowed the lump in his throat, knowing full well what this meant. He can’t fucking dance.

“Oh yeah. It’s very complicated and is a vital key part of the swapping of our soul fragments. A reminder that I am always there, even when I’m not.” She trailed off, lost in thought. What would happen if she swapped a piece of her soul with a non-magical person? Would she lose her powers? Would he gain abilities? This is undocumented territory she was dealing with. And  _ great for research _ ! Her eyes sparkled as a stupid grin crossed her face.

“Caryn?” She was lost in her own little world. “Caryn.” Filbrick waved a hand in her face, sighing. “CARYN.”

She finally broke from her trance, letting out a giggle at his coy smirk. “Sorry, Filbrick... mind went wandering there.”

“Well, I guess we can incorporate circling into the dance.” Caryn shoots him a confused stare. “Basically, you circle around me seven times. It’s supposed to act as a kind of protection ward.”

“That’s actually kind of a nice touch. I think we can incorporate that.”

“We gotta sign a ketubah. I know mom is gonna make me.” Filbrick sighed and laid back on the bed. “It’s basically a prenup. But if I’m literally giving you a piece of my soul, divorce isn’t happening.”

“There is a way to swap back if we get divorced. But it would also be incredibly painful given we’re-”

“Soulmates, yeah, I know.” He sits up again lost in thought. “I wonder whose tallit we’re making the chuppah with. And who’s holding it.”

“Well, at mage weddings, all guests are supposed to surround us and hold hands to create an energy circuit, so there would be nobody to hold it.”

“Huh.” Filbrick stood and paced, thinking hard. “I guess we could use posts. But what would they even be made of? I like things to be symbolic.”

“Pine wood. Preferably full branches.”

“What?” Filbrick looked to her as she gave him a smile.

“Your last name is Pines, correct?”

“I mean, when mom married Harold, yeah, we changed our name to Pines. It was originally Hersch, though.” Filbrick sat beside her and leaned back on his hands. He remembered the wedding. A Christian wedding. He remembered being nine and so  _ goddamn _  confused. They were  _ Jewish _ , this made no  _ sense _ .

“Pine branches, strengthened at the top with deer antlers!”

“Caryn...” he looked to her with a pang of raw emotion. She was always so considerate, even if a bit  crude.

“We'll make it work, love.” Filbrick  held his fiancé close.  For the first time in months, he felt  at ease.  “Of course, we will have to participate in the  prelude.”

“What's that entail?”

“Oh, we isolate ourselves from each other and spend the whole week before the wedding with the other person's family. ” Filbrick let that sink in before his eyes went wide.  He had to spend a whole week with her parents. Her parents that hate him.  “I know. You're scared of mom and dad.”

“I ain't scared!” Filbrick's voice cracked in  abject terror.  “I just… don't think it's a good idea, is all.”

“Well, it's vital for the-"

“Soul fragment thing?”

“Yes.” Caryn looked at the uncertainty in Filbrick's eyes and  sighed. “They'll have to accept it at this point.  You are their son-in-law now. ”

“Your dad…” Filbrick held his tongue.  He couldn't tell her about Bill. Not now, not ever.  “He's very  intimidating.”

“I guess you'll just have to be more intimidating.” Caryn put a hand on her hip  and lifted Filbrick’s chin. “You can do it, hun.  Now,” Caryn pulled out her psychology textbooks with a cheeky grin, “I know how you feel about  therapy. But maybe, since you trust me, I can be your therapist. ”

“Sweetheart, that isn't necessary. ”  Filbrick  stepped back with a laugh. “I know. I know I've been caught up in my own pity  lately. I'll try to be better about…”  he looked to the empty whiskey bottles littering the floor, “about this…  yeesh.”

“Mm-mm. Nope. You  ain’t  getting out of this one. Starting now, Wednesday is our psychiatry day.”

“Caryn-”  Filbrick  was pushed to sit on the bed, “-that isn’t necessary or how any of this works.”

“I’m your therapist now, deal with it.” She donned a pair of fake reading glasses before looking into the textbook. After some page flipping, she lifted her gaze to meet his. “Says here you’re gay.”

“That means you must be a man.”

“Or, maybe you are just a very ugly woman.” There  was  a long silence before the both of them slowly burst into laughter . Almost as soon as Caryn cracked a smile, she put a stern expression back on her face. “In all seriousness, though. If we don’t get this under control... I just wouldn’t want to have you admitted into a looney bin.”

Filbrick  gave her a long, hard look. A cocked brow and a crooked frown. Caryn looked at the assortment of haphazardly stored scrolls and overstuffed books, containing a full decade of studies from all corners of  supernatural  knowledge. “You’re saying they’re  gonna  throw me into a looney bin?”

“ Filbrick , I’d throw myself into the psych ward, but that’s beside the point.” Caryn sat herself down with a huff, actually thumbing through the textbook properly. “You have issues that you need to deal with. You need to move on with your life.”

“How-”  Filbrick  stood, in a moment of blind anger, “how  _ dare _  you?!” The outburst startled Caryn, and she hid behind the book. “I lost my sisters. Because  _ I _  decided to run away instead of facing my problems! My twin brother hates me and is being fucking  _ manipulated _  by a demon! My dad? My aunt? Could be  _ dead _ , __ the only trace left being the memories that their living friends and family have.”

“F- Filbrick , I-”

“You don’t get to tell me to just  _ move on _ . My life is in shambles, and the memories of the past are the only positive things I have of my family. My brother and I playing at a park, my mother and father nearby on a bench. My aunt and her girlfriend playing with us. Holding my baby sisters for the first time in the hospital.” Tears began to stream down his face as he sat back on the bed in a slump. He hung his head and let his curls hide his eyes.

“I’m sorry.” Caryn’s voice was soft as she lowered the book. “I didn’t... mean to upset you.”

“I know.”

“I know... it hurts. You’ve experienced too much loss.” Caryn slowly thumbed through the book again. After a while of silent reading, she looked back to  Filbrick . “The amount of loss you’ve felt in such a short amount of time is both unfair and over whelming. But I think it’s important to understand that none of it is directly your fault.”  Filbrick  opened his mouth to protest. “No. It isn’t. You couldn’t have controlled anybody’s decisions.”

“Okay, so, what do you want me to do? Just pretend that everything is okay?! That I don’t lay awake at night blaming myself? That-”

“No!” Caryn clapped a hand over  Filbrick’s  mouth before he could say one more negative thing. “It’s okay that you aren’t okay. It’s okay to not  _ feel _  okay! But you need to focus on  _ becoming _  okay again. You understand?”

Filbrick  gently moved her hand from his mouth. “No. I don’t.  How do I ‘become okay’ again when I don’t even know what ‘okay’ is supposed to be, Caryn?”  Filbrick  took a deep breath. “If you knew what was really going on... you wouldn’t be so keen on helping me.” His thought had escaped from his mouth. Caryn’s eyes were on him in an instant.

“What do you mean...?”  Filbrick  remained silent. He just backed himself into a corner. “ Filbrick , you tell me what you mean.”

“No.”

“ Filbrick , if you have been hiding something important this whole time and don’t tell me, I’m going to go fucking feral.” The urgency in Caryn’s voice prompted a fearful glance from her lover. “ Filbrick  Elmer Hersch.”

The usage of his original family name caused  Filbrick  to swivel his head toward Caryn. Her eyes were laced with anger, concern, and sincerity. His heart rate picked up, and he felt his throat beginning to close up. Then, all at once, his blood ran cold. He couldn’t get himself out of this one. She had to know. “I... made a deal with Bill. Right before you found me.”  Filbrick  let the silence hang in the room. He averted his gaze away from Caryn. He felt ashamed of himself.

“Fil...” Caryn’s voice trailed off as  Filbrick  shook his head and stood.

“I need a drink.” He walked out of the room and closed the door behind him, eventually going outside and letting the rain soak through his suit jacket.


End file.
